Featuring Author Interviews and Commentaries

Jessi Gage Guest Blog and Giveaway

While examining Andrew Carnegie’s lucky rosewood box, single-and-pregnant museum worker Melanie makes a tongue in cheek wish on the artifact–for a Highland warrior to help her forget about her cheating ex. Suddenly transported to the middle of a clan skirmish in sixteenth-century Scotland, she realizes she should have been a tad more specific.

Darcy, laird in waiting, should be the most eligible bachelor in Ackergill, but a cruel prank played on him in his teenage years has led him to believe he is too large under his kilt to ever join with a woman. He has committed himself to a life of bachelorhood, running his deceased father’s windmills and keeping up the family manor house…alone.

Darcy’s uncle, Laird Steafan welcomes the strangely dressed woman into his clan, immediately marrying her to Darcy in hopes of an heir. But when Steafan learns of her magic box and brands her a witch, Darcy must do what any good husband would–protect his wife, even if it means forsaking his clan.

WARNING: A pregnant museum worker, a sixteenth-century Scot, and a meddlesome wishing box.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

Thank you for having me, today, Mad and Lillie. It’s an honor to be a guest at RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk.

I’m a shameless devourer of any book with a kilt in it. I also have this thing for virginal heroes. I love reading alpha heroes, but beta heroes have their appeal too, especially when the right woman decides to seduce one *winks*. Darcy Keith, my hero in WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER is mainly a beta, but he puts on his alpha hat when he needs to protect what’s his, mainly the oddly dressed, pregnant stranger he marries to spare from his laird’s dungeon.

Here’s an excerpt:

Size might have its advantages when it came to fighting, but those few boons fell far short of making up for the problems it caused. Being the biggest and the strongest had gotten him into far more trouble than it had gotten him out of. Swallowing his regret for how careless he’d been with her, he sought to determine whom she belonged to, whom, saints forbid, he might owe.

“Whose wife are ye, then? Not a Gunn’s or I wouldna have had to rescue you from one.”

“I’m not married,” the lass said. “And thank you for the rescuing, by the way. I can’t believe I dropped the dirk. Stupid.” She shook her head.

His heart warmed at her thanks. He didn’t hear many kind words from the lasses and would take what he could get, even from a dishonored woman who had caught a bairn out wedlock. Oddly, he didn’t think poorly of her. Whether it was her worried brow, her guileless, soft mouth, or her vulnerable size, he had not the heart to condemn her.

He didn’t even mind so much that she found him distasteful for his size, although talking with her now, she didn’t seem overly upset to be in his arms. He endeavored to keep her talking, keep her distracted from her disgust.

“Ye never answered my first question,” he said. “Who are you? And where are ye from if ye’re no’ English?”

“Ugh. I don’t know. Is there an answer that won’t get me burned at the stake or locked up in a ward for the hopelessly insane?”

Like most things out of her mouth, that had been a peculiar answer. “Ye could try the truth,” he offered, slowing his pace since he heard Archie’s voice not far off.

“No,” she said flatly. “I couldn’t. At least not the whole truth. How about we just go with my name, Melanie, and with the honest fact that I’m a long way from home and I have no idea how to get back.” Her green eyes pierced his. “I’m afraid you might be stuck with me, Darcy Keith.”

I’m celebrating release week with a GIVEAWAY! Two ecopies of WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER are up for grabs. To enter the drawing, commenters here at RR@H should (1) leave their email address and (2) answer the following question: If you could go back in time for one week of what-happens-in-the-past-stays-in-the-past fantasy, where & when would you go?

My answer: I’d go back to Aberdeen, WA in 1991 just before Nirvana broke out with their big hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and flirt my butt off with Kurt Cobain.

For more chances at a free ecopy of WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER readers can swing by my blog and comment over there. I’ll do the drawing after midnight Friday 1/11/13 and notify the winners by email on Saturday 1/12/13.

If anyone would like more information about WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER or my other works, they are more than welcome to swing by my blog or website.

Jessi lives with her husband and children in the Seattle area. In addition to writing paranormal romance, she’s a wife, a mom, an audiologist, a church-goer, a Ford driver, a PC user, and a coffee snob. Her guiding tenet in her writing is that good triumphs over evil, but not before evil gives good one heck of a run for its money. The last time she imagined a world without romance novels, her husband found her crouched in the corner, rocking.

That would be a fun era too. But you’d have to have your maid handy to help you get dressed…and brush up on table manners…at least I would! But dance cards and petticoats and carriages. Yeah. It would be worth the work:)

that is a tough question. If I could go back I’d go back to April 2012 and talk to my daughter. Try and talk to her about postpartum blues and holding on. I think it would have made a difference.
congrats on the book. Highlanders are definitely a favorite of mine.edor628@verizon.net

Ooh, what a fun premise, Jessi–thanks for the post! Sounds like Darcy and Melanie were meant to be, and I can’t wait to read how you bring that about! As for the destination for a one-week visit? Um, I’d be excited to visit a whole lot of places, knowing it was for a week! The ancient Chinese courts? Regency times? The highlands? The old West? Oh, I think I’d prefer to visit in spring or fall if possible, and well, it’d be easier to land in a wealthy family than not, of course ;)

If this is a pdf i would be very happy to win ( if pdf isn’t available please don’t enter me, i won’t be able to read it)
hum i would like to go in the ancient greece or even better ancient egypt i would be very happy to learn more about the real life then

Ooh, just started, eh. Well, if you’re into regency, you’ll have to check out Sherry Thomas. If Highlanders are your gig, Diana Gabaldon leans more heavily toward history than romance, but if you like some realism with your historical romance, she’s the it girl. Start with Outlander. For lighter, slightly magical romance, check out Karen Marie Moning’s Highland romances.
And sweet! Glad you’ve added Wishing for a Highlander to your buy list. I am honored!

Oh wow, that’s a great question. I think visiting a Highland castle with a sexy Highlander would be pretty cool, as long as there wasn’t a war going on. :D Maybe not too far back, there were plenty of great kilt wearing Highlanders in the 19th century, I’m sure.

This story is right up my reading alley! Thank you for the chance at winning a copy! :)

I have two times I would go back. Either/Or would be fine with me. Back to October 14, 1066 so I could sit in a tree and watch the Battle of Hastings or to to December 19, 1154 to watch King Henry II get crowned alongside Eleanor. I would spend the week picking their brains, LOL!

Thank you for the kind comment, Mary. Berlin wall sounds awesome. Nab a few pieces and bring them back to put on display on your mantle. They’ll be great conversation starters…”Oh, yeah, I was there, it WAS as cool as you think.”
Goodluck in the giveaway!

I would love to go back in time to Scotland before the wearing of pants came about. All those sexy Highlanders in kilts, what more can you ask for other than a strong wind ;-)
Thanks so much for the giveaway. I would love to read this book, it is going on my wishlist now.
manning_J2004 at yahoo dot com

I would love to go back in time to Ancient Greece when everything was done with your blood and sweat and horses. Instead of always having to rely on glitchy technology. Plus I have a thing for Greeks. :-)

Hi Mad & Lillie! Thanks again for having me! I wanted to announce the winners of my giveaway. I’m so excited that one of the two is a commenter on your blog: Bettty. The other is Angela, who commented on Laura Lee Nutt’s blog on Friday 1/11. I will be contacting the winners by email to give them their free ecopies of WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER but wanted to let you know the winners here in the comment thread for the post.
Thanks!

Mad & Lillie’s RAK RR@H Monthly Book Giveaway

For Authors & Publishers

Calling out to all authors & publishers. As someone who regularly does giveaways on the blog, I'm looking for promo items to include with the book prizes I send out. If you have any spare promo items -- bookmarks, pens, postcards, magnets, etc -- I'd appreciate any you sent my way to share with readers. Feel free to email me at mad@romancereaderatheart.com for my contact info.
Thank you so much!